Bowling ball cleaning apparatus



1967 R. M. CASBARRO BOWLING BALL CLEANING APPARATUS Filed March 18, 1966 United States Patent Ofiice 3,355,755 BOWLING BALL CLEANING APPARATUS Ralph M. Casbarro, 332 W. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 Filed Mar. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 535,396 11 Claims. (Cl. 15-21) This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning bowling balls and more specifically to apparatus which is of lightweight construction, simple in operation, and which may be economically produced and incorporated into and made a part of a bowling ball bag to thus provide a combined bowling ball carrying case and cleaning apparatus.

It is well known that for consistent and accurate bowling, the bowling ball must be kept clean and polished at all times. At present, in order for a bowler to clean and polish his bowling ball, he must utilize the pay as you go cleaning and polishing apparatus at a bowling establishunent. The continued use of such apparatus can be expensive as well as time consuming, in that, frequently, the use of the apparatus is not available due to the demand for its use thereof by other patrons of the bowling establishment.

Further, due to the continued and excessive use of the bowling ball cleaning and polishing apparatus at the bowling ball establishments, these machines quite frequently lose adjustment and are out of service when most needed.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a combination bowling ball carrying bag and cleaning apparatus which is lightweight in construction, inexpensive to produce, and which every bowler may have as his personal equipment for cleaning and polishing his bowling ball.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bowling ball cleaner having a spindle for concurrently supporting the bowling ball to be cleaned by one of the holes therein while at the same time securing the bowling ball against rotation on the spindle. The cleaning means, according to one embodiment, is so dimensioned as to engage the circumference of the bowling ball being cleaned, and includes an aperture therein through which the spindle may pass so as to allow the cleaning means to be rotated about the bowling ball. The cleaning means further includes surface elements associated therewith for cleaning and polishing the bowling ball when the cleaning means is rotated about the circumference thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be made apparent when taken in conjunction with the following specification and claims.

The invention is best understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts, and in which;

, FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of the bowling ball cleaning apparatus of the present invention including a bowling ball to be cleaned shown in relative position therewith;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the bowling ball cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1 shown in assembled position;

FIG. 2-A shows a further modification of the holding pin according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a further embodiment of the holding pin shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the bowling ball cleaner of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bowling ball cleaning apparatus of the present invention includes a first hollow hemispherical member and a second hollow hemispherical member 11 which are oppositely disposed one to another. When in engaging position as shown in FIG. 2, the hollow hemispherical members 10 and 11 provide an enclosure for the bowling ball 12 which is to be cleaned.

3,355,756 Patented Dec. 5, 1967 On the inside circumference of each of the hemisperi cal members ill and 11 are included a plurality of cleaning and polishing elements 13. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, these cleaning and polishing elements 13 are removably secured to the hollow hemispherical members 1t and 11 by means of interlocking guide channels 14. Further, the elements 13 are suitably dimensioned and formed of a resilient material so that, when the bowling ball is in place, as shown in FIG. 2, the elements will uniformly engage the circumference of the bowling ball.

Alternatively, the elements 13 may be spring biased inwardly of the hemispherical members 10 and 11 to insure uniform and proper pressure of the elements 13 against the circumference of the bowling ball.

The cleaning and polishing elements 13 may also take other forms depending upon the particular application of the cleaning and polishing apparatus, i.e., the elements 13 may be one complete hemispherical element which fits in complementary engagement with the inner circumference of a given hemispherical rmember. Further, the cleaning and polishing elements may be secured to the inner circumference of the hemispherical members by means other than the aforedescribed interlocking guide channels and may, in some applications, consists of a thin cleaning element secured directly to the inner circumference of the hemispherical member.

Further yet, the hemispherical members may themselves be formed of a material which has inherent cleaning and polishing qualities in which case the inner circumference of the hemispherical members will itself serve as the cleaning and polishing elements.

The cleaning elements 13 may be of different compositions, as for example, hair, bristle, cloth, or lightweight polyfoam.

When the hollow hemispherical members It and 11 are disposed in enclosing relationship around the bowling ball to be cleaned, upwardly projecting tangs 15 of hemispherical member ill cooperate with corresponding notches 16 of hemispherical member 11. The tangs 15 and notches 16 provide means for aligning the hemispherical members lit and 11 with another as well as providing mechanical interlock between the two for transmitting rotary motion from one to another.

The tangs and notches may also take other forms, as for example, a pin and socket or ball-detent arrangement.

To further insure that the hollow hemispherical unember 10 and 11 remain in firm engaging position with the bowling ball 12 during cleaning thereof, clasps or buckles 17 are provided on the lower hemispherical member 10 and cooperate with corresponding hooks 18 disposed on the upper hemispherical member 11.

It will be appreciated that once the two hemispherical members 10 and 11 are disposed in interlocking relationship one with another and secured by the buckles 17, the cleaning elements 13 will accordingly engage the circumference of the bowling ball 12 as shown in FIG. 2. It will further be appreciated that any relative motion between the bowling ball 12 and the two hemispherical members 10 and 11 will result in a cleaning and polishing action on the bowling ball.

This relative motion between the two hollow hemispherical members and the bowling ball is obtained, according to the present invention, by utilizing a spindle member 19, a portion of which passes through an aperture 20 located in the bottom of the lower hemispherical member 10 and which cooperates with one of the holes in the bowling ball to concurrently support the bowling ball while securing the bowling ball against rotation thereon.

More specifically, the spindle member 19 includes a base member 21, above which projects and is secured to a bearing surface 22. Journaled within and projecting $9 above the bearing surface 22 is a holding pin 23 which is of a tapered configuration and composed of a resilient material.

The holding pin 23 and bearing surface 22 are suitably dimensioned as to pass through the aperture 20 of the lower hemispherical member 10 when the bowling ball cleaning apparatus is in assembled position as best shown in FIG. 2. Further, the holding pin 23 is of suitable diameter to enable it to pass partly into a hole of the bowling ball 12 and thereby provide at least in part a support for the bowling ball while frictionally engaging the sides of the hole 40 of the bowling ball to secure the bowling ball against rotation on the holding pin 23.

The holding pin 23 may, depending upon the degree of tapering thereof, lend itself to utilization in two different embodiments of the present bowling ball cleaning apparatus, the first embodiment which will be immediately described and the second embodiment will thereafter be described.

In the embodiment of the holding pin 23 shown in FIG. 2, the diameter and taper of the holding pin is so dimensioned as to uniformly fit within a hole of the personal bowling ball of the owner of the cleaning apparatus. The dimensions of the holding pin are so selected that the bowling ball is firmly secured against rotation thereon, but also is allowed to pass thereover to such an extent that the weight of the bowling ball is partly carried by the upper surface of the bearing surface 22.

The holding pin is removably attached to the bottom 25 of the bowling ball carrying case 24 in order that other sizes of holding pins may be used when bowling balls of different hole sizes are desired to be cleaned.

In the second embodiment of the holding pin 25, shown in FIG. 2-A, the holding pin is of suficient diameter at the base thereof and of sufficient degree of taper so as to accommodate all bowling balls having different sizes of holes therein. In this embodiment, the entire weight of the bowling ball is supported by the holding pin and accordingly, the first and second hemispherical members It and 11 and their included cleaning elements 13 are carried by the bowling ball. In this manner, the weight of the bowling ball is prevented from unduly bearing upon the lower hemispherical member 10 while at the same time the weight of the bowling ball is advantageously used to insure the frictional engagement between the holding pin 23 and the bowling ball itself.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 2A, the bearing surface 22 cooperates in conjunction with the inner circumference of the aperture to provide a journal upon which the interlocked hemispherical members 10 and 11 may rotate during cleaning of the bowling ball 12.

To effect rotation of the hemispherical members during cleaning of the bowling ball, a crank handle 26, suitably secured to the upper hemispherical member 11, is provided.

If desired, the crank handle may utilize a gear reducer or the crank handle may be replaced by an electric motor which may be powered externally or from an internal storage battery.

In accordance with the present invention, the cleaning apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 may be disposed within a bowling ball carrying case 24. In this arrangement, the spindle member 19 is secured to the bottom of the bowling bag by means of the base 21 thereof.

The bowling ball carrying case 24 is suitably dimensioned in breadth, width and height to accommodate the bowling ball cleaning apparatus when in either opened or closed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively.

To further secure the cleaning apparatus within the bowling ball bag 24 while the ball is being cleaned, apertures 27 are provided in the top of the bowling ball bag and suitably positioned so that when the bag is in closed position as best shown in FIG. 2, the apertures 27 will provide a journal for an extension 28 of the crank handle 26. In this manner, the bowling ball cleaning apparatus is suitably journaled at both the top and bottom thereof to thus insure ease of operation.

The spindle member 19 may further be secured to the bottom of the bowling ball bag in such a manner that the cleaning and polishing apparatus can be quickly detached from the bag and mounted on a bench for home use.

The embodiments of holding pins 23 described in conjunction with FIGS. 2 and 2-A may be replaced by the holding pin 29 of FIG. 3 which includes a base member 30 to which are secured a plurality of resilient and outwardly deflected finger-like members 31 which terminate in a cap portion 32. The cap portion 32 is dimensioned so as to be capable of passing within the smallest of holes of bowling balls ordinarily in use and the fingers 31 are deflected outwardly a distance exceeding the largest diameter of holes normally found in bowling balls ordinarily in use.

Accordingly, as can be seen in FIG. 4, the holding pin 29 of FIG. 3 will constitute a universal holding pin which will be capable of passing within the hole of any bowling ball while at the same time providing a supporting member for the bowling ball which will also secure the bowling ball against rotation. Further, due to the deflecting action of the fingers 31, the holding pin 29 will pass within the finger hole as far as is necessary to allow the bowling ball 12 to descend as far as is necessary for the bowling ball to come to rest upon the cleaning elements 13 associated with the hemispherical member 33, of a modified form, as will be discussed hereinafter.

As the holding pin 29 will always permit the bowling ball to be supported at the same height, the lower hemispherical member 33 need not be so constructed as to provide allowance for the different supported heights of the bowling ball as was necessary in the case of the universal holding pin described in conjunction with FIGS. 2A. Instead, the 10 wer hemispherical member may be journaled on a base supporting member 34 associated with the holding pin 29 in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 4.

More specifically, the hemispherical member 33 is secured to a bearing race member 35 which in turn is supported on the base member 34 by ball bearing 36.

The arrangement of FIG. 4 provides greater rigidity and stability in the support of the bowling ball over the arrangements of FIGS. 1, 2 and 2-A and, in some applications, may make unnecessary the journaling or supporting of the cleaning apparatus at the top of the bowling ball bag.

Further shown in FIG. 4 is a modified version of the hollow hemispherical members 10 and 11 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The hemispherical member 33 of FIG. 4 includes relieved sections in the sides thereof to provide a plurality of resilient fingers 37 to which may be attached the cleaning elements 13. The hemispherical member 33 of FIG. 4 provides an advantage over the embodiments thereof shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the fingers 37 thereof may be formed of a radius less than that of a bowling ball and thus provide a built-in spring bias on the fingers against the bowling ball when the hemispherical members are disposed in engaging relationship with the bowling ball.

In order to facilitate removal of the bowling ball from the lower hemispherical member 10 after the ball has been cleaned, relieved section 38 therein are provided which will expose a sufficient portion of the circumference of the bowling ball to enable the bowler to grasp the ball below the center line thereof and thus attain a good grip on the ball for its easy removal from the hollow hemispherical member 10.

While the present invention has been described in relation with specific embodiments shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that no limitation thereby is intended, the scope of the present invention being intended to be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bowling ball cleaner comprising:

spindle means for concurrently supporting a bowling ball to be cleaned by a hole therein while securing said bowling ball against rotation thereon,

cleaning means dimensioned to engage the circumference of the bowling ball to be cleaned and having an aperture therein through which said spindle means may pass to allow said cleaning means to rotate about the bowling ball, and

said cleaning means including surface elements for cleaning and polishing said bowling ball when said cleaning means is rotated.

2. The bowling ball cleaner of claim 1 further including in combination therewith,

a bowling ball carrying case enclosing said cleaning means,

means for securing said spindle means to the bottom portion of said carrying case, and

means providing a journal for said cleaning means.

3. The bowling ball cleaner of claim 2 in which said means providing a journal is supported by said bottom portion of said carrying case with said spindle means.

4. The bowling ball cleaner of claim 2 in which means are provided for supporting said journal at the top portion of said carrying case.

5. The bowling ball cleaner of claim 2 in which said journal is supported with said spindle means from the bottom portion of said carrying case, the said carrying case have means for opening and closing the same,

a second journal for said cleaning means, and

means for supporting said second journal by the uppermost portion of said carrying case when that carrying case is closed.

6. The bowling ball cleaner of claim 1 further including spring biasing means associated with said surface elements for urging said elements inwardly of said cleaning means to insure uniform pressure against the circumference of the bowling ball while being cleaned.

7. The bowling ball cleaner of claim 1 wherein said spindle means includes spring bias means for urging the sides thereof outwardly to provide a positive fit within holes of varying sizes.

8. The bowling ball cleaner of claim 1 wherein said spindle means includes a resilient tapered pin.

9. The bowling ball cleaner of claim 1 wherein said cleaning means includes two oppositely disposed hemispherical members.

lt). The bowling ball cleaner of claim 9 wherein said oppositely disposed hemispherical members include relieved sections in the sides thereof toprovide a resilient spring action thereof against the circumference of the bowling ball being cleaned.

11. The bowling ball cleaner of claim 1 further including means associated with said cleaning means for causing said cleaning means to be rotated about the circumference of the bowling ball being cleaned.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1953 Vargo 15-97 11/1966 Giantz 15-97 

1. A BOWLING BALL CLEANER COMPRISING: SPINDLE MEANS FOR CONCURRENTLY SUPPORTING A BOWLING BALL TO BE CLEANED BY A HOLE THEREIN WHILE SECURING SAID BOWLING BALL AGAINST ROTATION THEREON, CLEANING MEANS DIMENSIONED TO ENGAGE THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE BOWLING BALL TO BE CLEANED AND HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN THROUGH WHICH SAID SPINDLE MEANS MAY PASS TO ALLOW SAID CLEANING MEANS TO ROTATE ABOUT THE BOWLING BALL, AND 